Beautiful Places to Visit Instead of Overcrowded Tourist Destinations

Located on Middle Island in the Recherche Archipelago, Lake Hillier is a saline lake with bright pink waters, most likely due to a species of salt-loving algae that produce beta carotene. The lake waters, while unsafe to drink, are perfectly safe to swim in – that is, if you can reach the lake. Due to its remote location, the easiest way to view Hillier is by air.

Just an hour by ferry from Buenos Aires, the city of Colonia contains a charming historic downtown that has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With narrow stone walkways, the ruins of a fort and a convent, a drawbridge, and load of colonial architecture, Colonia is a great weekend destination.

The Great Rann of Kutch in Gujarat is the world’s largest salt desert at 3,800 square miles. It’s best to visit from November through March, during the dry season when nearby facilities are open. The white salt flats can be blinding during midday, so early morning or evening moonlight visits are recommended.

Isola Bella is an island in Lago Maggiore, in the Piedmont region of Northern Italy. Aside from sweeping views of the lake, the island features a baroque palace furnished with tapestries, artwork, and period furniture, as well as an elaborate terraced garden containing exotic plants, fountains, and numerous unicorn statues.

One of the hottest and most inhospitable places on earth, the Danakil Depression in northern Ethiopia may seem like a strange destination; however, its alien terrain of salt mountains, active volcanoes, and eerily green sulfur springs are a photographer’s dream.